Graham Thomas has been named sports editor of the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
He will replace Chip Souza, who will become the general manager of Hawgs Sports Network, which includes Hawgs Illustrated magazine and wholehogsports.com. Thomas will assume his new duties in June.
Thomas, 41, is currently the managing editor of the Siloam Springs Herald-Leader, but has a long history as a sportswriter in Arkansas.
Before being promoted to managing editor of the Herald-Leader in 2013, Thomas served as the paper's sports editor beginning in 2009. Prior to that he was a sportswriter for the Benton County Daily Record in Bentonville and the Jonesboro Sun.
As editor of the Herald-Leader -- one of several weekly papers operated by the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette -- he directed the paper's news staff, planned coverage, took photographs and wrote news and sports stories. He also provided content and editing support for weekly newspapers the McDonald County Press in Missouri, the Bella Vista Weekly Vista, the Pea Ridge Times, the Westside Eagle Observer in Gravette and the Washington County Enterprise-Leader in Farmington.
Originally from Jackson, Miss., Thomas has a mass communications degree with an emphasis in journalism from Louisiana State University.
"I'm looking forward to this opportunity to lead the sports staff of the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette," Thomas said. "[Northwest Arkansas is] a tremendous place to cover sports and a wonderful place to live and work. I'm excited to work with a veteran staff of sportswriters and contributors. They're the ones who really make it happen."
"Graham is a great asset for our company and for our readers," said Lisa Thompson, managing editor of the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. "He knows sports and the region and he has a love for serving both."
Thomas will also manage sports coverage for the River Valley Democrat-Gazette, the company's newest weekly paper based in Fort Smith.
"What we're doing covering sports in the River Valley is amazing," Thomas said. "It's a hot bed of great sports activity."
Thomas and his wife, Amy, live in Siloam Springs with their two teenage children, Nathan and Emma.
The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, its weeklies and Hawgs Sports Network are all part of WEHCO Media.